The hospitality industry was hit hard by the pandemic. Arguably harder than any other industry. Many are anxiously awaiting a call back after getting furloughed, while others are considering branching outside of their niche.
If you have a background in hotels, you shouldn’t feel tied down to hospitality. You don’t need to reinvent yourself. In fact, in many ways, your background offers you a competitive advantage. If you’ve ever considered making a career transition, now is the time to do so.
Everyone has transferrable skills that can be translated into a new market. Your skillset should be the first thing you advertise during your transition, not your industry experience. Consider yours when looking at these related industries.
Senior Living
Former hospitality leaders are making a notable impact on senior living. Hotel professionals have been breaking into the senior care sector for a while now. After the pandemic, there has been even more opportunities for senior housing to take cues from hotel leaders.
Everyone is on lockdown. The last thing senior living operators want is an industrial establishment that is driving their residents away. Comfort and safety is everything. Hotel professionals are well-versed in the art of bringing a high-quality experience to establishments. While the residents are not temporary guests, the business model is similar, making for an easy transition.
Event Management
Depending on what hotel department you work in, the event management industry is like the hospitality in many regards. The necessary skill set required to succeed in several hospitality-related careers is practically identical to the requirements of a successful event planner.
Hosting events is a high-stress job that may be perfect for a hospitality professional. Since full-service hotels usually offer events and catering, this may be an easy transition for those experienced in banquets and weddings.
Restaurants
If you worked in F&B, there’s no reason why your skills won’t transfer to a restaurant environment. While the food industry has also been devastated by the pandemic, there still may be more openings outside of the hotel space.
Even if you didn’t work in the F&B department of your hotel, there are many management and sales roles that may be appealing during these times.
Real Estate
Hospitality professions are in the business of making people feel welcome. Not only are they trained in creating an environment where people want to stay, but they are trained in creating an environment where people want to return.
The real estate industry has been peaking into the hospitality playbook for years, making an insider’s experience much more valuable.
In recent years, there has been an increased demand for hospitality-inspired real estate. The hospitality industry is not just restricted to just hotels, whether it’s office, residential or retail properties, everything has shifted to an experience-driven market.
If you’re a hotel professional looking for a new opportunity, contact us! Likewise, If you’re interested in finding talent, we do searches in hospitality, senior living, real estate, and civil engineering. You can learn more here or shoot us an email over at info@jdisearch.com.